Category: Grilled

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

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You need another option for that healthy carbohydrate at dinner?  Well, you should add these to your lineup!  I must admit, I was a bit skeptical of how these would turn out.  I wasn’t so sure that the grill would really be much of a compliment to the sweet potato.  However, I had to give it a try because I knew the calories would be ideal.  I gotta say . . . I was pleasantly surprised.  The grill gave these a fantastic flavor and left me wishing that my portion size could be doubled.

You can choose to cut these into 1/2-inch thick pieces or leave them at 1-inch thick pieces.  To no surprise, they cook up a little faster if they’re only 1/2-inch thick.  Just do your best to get them all the same thickness so that they’re all done at the same time.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

*Note: The key to this recipe is cutting all the sweet potato pieces as close to the same size as possible that way they cook evenly. Also, feel free to add other spices to fancy them up a bit. Chili powder and cumin for a southwest kick anyone?

4 medium sweet potatoes/yams, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch or 1-inch chunks
1 T. Olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
bamboo skewers

Place all of the sweet potato chunks in a large microwaveable bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for three minutes. Remove from the microwave, stir, recover with plastic wrap and microwave 2-3 minutes more, until the sweet potatoes are just tender enough to thread on skewers (but not overly soft – they will cook through on the grill).

If any liquid is left in the bowl holding the sweet potatoes, drain it off.  Drizzle sweet potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then lightly toss to coat sweet potatoes.  Thread pieces of sweet potato on each skewer.

Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium or medium-high heat. Grill the sweet potato skewers, flipping every 5-6 minutes, for a total of about 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/2 Sweet Potato)
Calories:  100.3
Protein:  1.3g
Carbs:  19.7g
Fat:  2.0g (0.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.4g
Sugars:  0g

Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

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I’m already starting to worry about how many “summer grilling” days we are gonna have left!  It’s a sad day when the grill doesn’t get used almost every day so I’m still trying to take full advantage of it while I can!  These kabobs were well worth making on one of my last grilling days.  They definitely did not lack in flavor; that is FOR sure!  I loved the use of spices found here.  The chili powder/paprika went fabulously with the garlic and lime and there was even a slight bit of heat from the cayenne.  These kabobs tasted like a Mexican BBQ and they were great on their own, but as I ate them I thought they would be SO good in tacos or fajitas too.  Either way . . . they are delicious and in no way boring!  Make them quick – before grilling season is O.V.E.R.

Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs
Adapted from The Sisters Cafe

4-6 chicken breast halves (boneless, skinless), about 2 lbs
1 sweet red pepper
1 sweet onion

6 Tb olive oil
3 Tb red wine vinegar
2 limes, juiced (4 Tb)
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion salt
2 tsp minced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cut chicken and pepper into 2 inch pieces.  Peel onion and cut into quarters.  Slice through each quarter to make 8 chunks. (When you pull apart the onion layers, the outer layers should now be in roughly 2 inch pieces) Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lime juice.  Stir in spices. Marinate chicken and vegetables for 4-6 hours or overnight.  (You can place the chicken and vegetables in separate shallow containers.  I make sure the chicken is covered with marinade first. Any leftover marinade, use for the vegetables. And, if I’m lucky – I reserve about 3 tablespoons to brush on my kabobs while they’re cooking.)

Preheat the grill to medium heat.  Thread chicken, pepper, and onion onto metal skewers and discard the marinade. Grill skewers, turning occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, or until juices run clear (or chicken registers 165 degrees when tested with a termometer).  If you reserved any marinade, brush marinade on skewers each time you turn them.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information of Chicken Only (Per Serving = 4 oz.)
Calories:  150
Protein:  23.1g
Carbs:  1.3g
Fat:  6.3g (0.8g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.2g
Sugars: 0.2g

Chili-Lime Steak Rub

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Once in a while we love to pull out the red meat and have us a good steak!  Of course, we usually go with a lean cut so we don’t chalk up extra calories and bad fat.  Flank steak or sirloin will always be my top choices of red meat and this steak rub works wonderfully on both!  It has a tasty balance of spicy and tangy.  It will be repeated in my house for sure!  I grabbed this recipe off of Our Best Bites and, if needed, I included the links back to their website for education on flank steak as well as testing the doneness of steak.  I think it’s informative and I figured I wouldn’t re-write it as it is explained wonderfully on their site.

As you can see – we are really trying to maximize the use of our grill right now because we can’t get enough of it!  It makes everything taste so good and it keeps the kitchen cool.

Chili-Lime Steak Rub
Recipe from Our Best Bites

1 t chili powder
1 t granulated garlic
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/2 t oregano
1/8- 1/4 t cayenne pepper*
3/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
*If you have chipotle chili powder, you can substitute it for the cayenne or just add a little in addition

1 lime (about 2 T lime juice)
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 lbs flank steak, or other good grilling cut (tenderloin and sirloin also work well)

Juice the lime into a small bowl. Add spices and oil and stir to combine. Some limes have more juice than others, so sometimes the mixture will be more liquid-y and sometimes it will be more pasty.

Place the steak in a shallow dish and pour the spice mixture on top. Use your hands to massage it in there.

Let it sit for 15 minutes. During that time preheat your grill.

Place meat on hot grill (bbq is best, but an indoor grill pan or broiler will work just fine too). If you’re using flank steak it should take about 5-7 minutes on each side. (Here’s a great tip for testing meat doneness in other cuts.)

When steak is finished, remove from grill and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it.  Slice in strips against the grain. (Again, find flank steak info here.)

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 4 oz. Flank Steak)
Calories:  194
Protein:  23.1g
Carbs:  0.8g
Fat:  10.3g (3.9g = Sat)
Fiber:  0.2g
Sugars:  0.1g

Spiced Turkey Brugers with Roasted Red Pepper & Feta

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I make Turkey Burgers all the time.  But, listen!  These ones have jumped to the top of my favorite list (at least for the moment & we’ll have to see if other variations can beat it out).  The spices in this rendition make these so darn tasty.  The flavors are AMAZING!  I’ve been looking for the “perfect” burger to put that Tzatziki on, and this totally hit the spot.  I whipped this up in NO time.  Beau & I headed up the canyon with some friends and we grilled these up to perfection.  Everyone loved them and, to be honest, I was so pleased that I had leftover meat so that I could enjoy another one the very next day for lunch!  If you do not have roasted red peppers (usually sold in a jar at the grocery store), you can substitute with chopped, red bell pepper.  I’m sure it’ll still taste divine.  You must make these this summer.  Or, just pop by my house and maybe I’ll let you try them because I’m sure they’ll consistently make my summer menu again and again!  (By the way . . . we ate these on my homemade wheat burger buns.  They chalk up to be about 159 calories each.  They are, by far, my favorite burger bun.  If you are interested in having the burger bun posted, leave a comment and I’ll throw it up on the blog soon so you can enjoy them all summer long.)

Spiced Turkey Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper and Feta
Adapted from Pinch My Salt

2 medium cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoons cayenne
1/3 cup crumbled feta (about 2 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped roasted red pepper
Tzatziki (For Topping)

Make a paste with the garlic and kosher salt: On a cutting board, sprinkle smashed and peeled garlic cloves with the salt. Mince the garlic and salt together then smear and mash to a paste using the flat side of a chef’s knife.  Alternatively, you can mash the garlic and salt to a paste using a mortar and pestle.  If neither of those methods work for you, just press or chop the garlic finely and stir together with the salt.

Gently break the ground turkey into pieces in a large bowl then mix the garlic paste, cilantro, dill, olive oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne, feta, and red pepper into the ground turkey. Shape the meat into 6 equal 1-inch-thick patties. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 20 minutes and up to 4 hours.

While the burgers are chilling, prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Grill the burgers, covered with vents open, over direct medium heat until nicely marked and just cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in a burger should read 165°F), about 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Top burgers with Tzatziki and serve wrapped in lettuce, your favorite bun, or flatbread.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Burger, No Tzatziki, No Bun)
Calories:  205.7
Protein:  25.3g
Carbs:  1.2g
Fat:  11.8g (3.7 = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.4g
Sugars:  0.4g

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Burger, 2 T. Tzatziki, No Bun)
Calories:  222.7
Protein:  26.9g
Carbs:  3.7g
Fat:  11.9g (3.7 = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.6g

Grilled Pineapple

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Here is a sweet little treat that won’t pack on the calories!  I am totally guilty of loving the grilled pineapple at various Brazilian restaurants, so I’m happy to provide a recipe that resembles the tasty stuff.  We made this for our Independence Day BBQ, and I’m pretty sure the entire family loved it.  It’s a cinch to throw together (literally took a couple of minutes) and it can quickly become the favorite part of any meal.  It’s even a tasty dessert if you ask me (and it goes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream . . . but I didn’t tell you that!).  I’m pretty sure the biggest trick is trying to have only one slice!

Grilled Pineapple

2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 ripe pineapple, cut into 8 ½-inch thick slices

In a small bowl, combine the agave nectar, olive oil, lime juice, and brown sugar and whisk to blend. Set aside.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill. Lightly coat the grill rack with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame.

Lightly brush the pineapple with the marinade. Grill or broil, turning once and basting once or twice with the remaining marinade, until tender and golden, about 3-5 minutes on each side.  Serve warm.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Slice)
Calories:  49.5
Protein:  0.2g
Carbs:  11.8h
Fat:  0.8g (0.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.7g
Sugars:  10.5g

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

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I am a fajita-lovin’ girl!  I love, Love, LOVE them!  That being said, I make them in all sorts of varieties; however, these ones are my very favorite (at least up until this point)!  The marinade that is used here is downright delicious.  I love how it all melds together in a way that was hard for me to even imagine until I tried it.  That lime, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic are so tasty!  And, to boost the flavor, you put the reserved marinade on the veggies after you grill them which brilliantly brings all the flavors together in this fajita.

I have found great success in grilling these on our charcoal grill, as well as my indoor grill (George Foreman).  Why do I know this????  Well, there’s no way I’m prepping the charcoal grill in the snowy winter and there’s also NO WAY I’m living through the winter without my favorite fajita.  Thus…I found out very quickly that I can get similar results indoors!  I have also found that if I use chicken tenders, then I do not need to butterfly any chicken breasts.  This is a small time saver for me so that is usually what I tend to use most.   I served these for a dinner party recently and they were a huge hit! You’ll have to let me know if this variation of fajita makes it to the top of your list too!

Grilled Chicken Fajitas
Source: adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from Cook’s Illustrated

Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (or the equivalent in chicken tenders)
1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, quartered and seeded
16 extra thin corn tortillas (Such as Mission Yellow Corn Tortillas – Extra Thin = 40 calories each)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive  oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade; set aside.  Place the chicken breast halves (or tenders, if using) in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Lightly oil both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, prep your grill . . . charcoal, gas, or indoor.  (We typically use a charcoal grill, so I’ll give step-by-step instructions on how to use it.)  Using a large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts of charcoal briquettes and burn until the coals are fully ignited, about 20 minutes.  Empty the coals into the grill, spreading them in a single layer.  Place an additional 20 unlit coals over the lit coals on one side of the grill to create a two-level fire.  Place the grill grate over the coals and allow to heat for 5 minutes.  Scrape the grate clean with a grill brush.  (For a gas grill, light all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes.  Leave one burner on high and turn the rest down to medium.)

Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade.  Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill.  Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes.  Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.)  Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed.*  When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side.  Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side.  When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil.  (Alternatively you can warm the tortillas according to package directions.)

Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl.  Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions.  Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine.  Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl.  Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.

Serves 8.

*Optional Cooking Tip for Veggies:  I will occasionally send the chicken outside to the grill with my husband.  While he is cooking the chicken, I grill the veggies indoors.  I will heat my George Foreman grill.  While it is heating up, I cut the onions & peppers into strips.  I then lightly grease the grill with cooking spray and then throw the onions and peppers on the grill and cook until crisp-tender and slightly charred.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Fajitas)
Calories:  263.2
Protein:  25.6g
Carbs:  22g
Fat:  9.2g (4g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.9g
Sugar:  5g

Caribbean Pork Kebabs

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Oh, how I love summer!  Along with all the lovely things of summer, I love grilling!  Grilling is such a healthy way to prepare your food, but it also means much more to me.  Grilling usually means backyard BBQ’s, lounging around on summer nights with friends and family, a cool kitchen (because the oven doesn’t get used), less dishes, and a very happy husband who LOVES just about anything if it comes off of a grill.

I love kebabs in all sorts of varieties and these are NO exception.  The Caribbean flavors and spices in the marinade really shine through and make these kebabs SUPER flavorful.  Because the marinade has jam in it, some of our carbohydrates get eaten up in the marinade.  But, I’m telling you, it’s worth it because of how delicious these turn out.  You can assemble these however you want (that’s one of the perks of kebabs).  You can make them smaller for the kids, all veggies for the vegetarians, or all meat for the meat lovers.  However you put these together, I hope they bring some love into one (or more!) of your summer nights this season.

Caribbean Pork Kebabs
Adapted from “The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook”

1 full recipe of Caribbean Marinade (recipe below)
2 lbs pork loin, fat trimmed/removed, cut in 1-inch squares
1 red bell pepper, cut in 1-inch squares
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1-inch squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in 1-inch squares
1 red onion, cut in 1-inch squares
8 skewers, wooden or metal

Make Caribbean Marinade (recipe below).  Reserve 1/4 cup.  Combine pork and the remaining marinade in a large zipper-lock bag, press out the air, and seal the bag tightly.  Toss to coat the pork and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours, flipping the bag occasionally.

Thread the marinated pork, peppers, and onion onto eight long metal or wooden skewers in an alternating pattern, then brush with the leftover marinade still in the bag.  (If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes prior to threading them.  This makes it easier to thread them and also prevents them from catching on fire over the hot grill.)

Preheat grill (you can use a gas grill or a charcoal grill).  Clean and oil the cooking grate on your grill and cook, turning as needed.  Brush reserved marinade on kebabs while cooking . . . usually when you turn/rotate the kebabs.  Cook until the pork and vegetables are lightly charred on all sides, and the pork registers 140-145 degrees.  Transfer the kebabs to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.  (Unless you are not patient like me, then just grab one right off the grill and go to town!)   Serve.

Serves 8.

Caribbean Marinade
3/4 cup Apricot Jam (such as Simply Fruit by Smucker’s)
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine/whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Kebab)
Calories:  285.5
Protein:  23.8g
Carbs:  26g
Fat:  13.8g (4.5g = Sat.)
Fiber:  1.1g
Sugars:  10.9g

Grilled Curried Chicken

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I love Thai food, thus I LOVE just about anything with curry.  The main problem with curry dishes is that they usually have a good amount of fat from coconut milk.  This recipe is a simple, yet tasty way to avoid the fat while still getting that spicy flavor!  It’s genius, I tell you.  This dish is SUPER easy to prepare in that all you have to do is mix yogurt and your favorite curry paste togeter, coat your chicken in it, let it hang out for a mere 20 minutes, and then grill.  You can either use this as a main course or thread the chicken on skewers and serve it as an appetizer.  Either way . . . DELICIOUS, FLAVORFUL, & MOIST!

Grilled Curried Chicken
Adapted by Rocco Dispirito, “Now Eat This! Diet”

3 T. green curry paste (yellow is also fabulous)
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (such as 0% Fage Total)
Salt
16 oz. chicken tenders
Nonstick cooking spray
2 limes, cut into quarters
Metal or wooden skewers (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425.

In a medium bowl, add the curry paste, yogurt , and salt if desired.  Stir together until well combined.  Add the chicken and toss to coat.  Let stand for 20 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill pan over high heat.  When the pan is hot, remove it from the stove just while you spray it with the nonstick cooking spray.  If desired, thread the chicken onto skewers (an option I use when preparing them as an appetizer).  Place on the grill pan and grill until the meat is slightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes each side.  Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and cook for an extra 2 minutes in the oven.  (Tip:  Char them until almost blackened on the very hot grill, don’t overcook them, and they will be juicy and moist.)

I have also grilled them using a George Foreman Grill and found that I don’t have to finish them off in the oven.  The chicken tenders take approxiately 6 minutes in the GF Grill.  You can also throw them on a gas BBQ grill too.   

Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving = Approx. 3 Tenders)
Calories:  159
Protein:  25g
Carb:  5g
Fat:  4g (0.7 = Sat)